MORGAN CITY, La. (KLFY) – A convicted sex offender from New York was arrested in Morgan City for failure to register after he was found selling candy along the Mardi Gras parade route.

According to the Morgan City Police Department, officers stationed along the Hera Parade Route on Monday around Seventh and Marguerite St. Officers noticed a vendor that was selling novelty items and candy. The officers made contact with the subject to assure that proper permits were obtained and discovered that they did not have a permit. The subject initially provided officers with a false name, but was eventually identified as Thomas E. Devaul. 

Verification checks on Devaul revealed he was a convicted sex offender out of the State of New York. Louisiana law prohibits him from distributing anything to children during holidays or events such as Mardi Gras. 

Devaul said he was staying in Patterson, so officers contacted the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Division. Investigators verified Devaul was a Tier 3 sexually violent offender out of New York and failed to register with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Devaul was arrested on charges of failure to register as a sex offender and unlawful presence of a sex offender. He was transported to the Morgan City Jail where he was booked and processed.

Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.